Macau Yearbook 2013 - Macao Yearbook

Overview of the Macao Special Administrative Region in 2012The Government is determined to position Macao as a world tourism and leisure centre, andbolster its functionality as a regional platform for commercial and trade services. While reinforcingand intensifying the development of the tourism and gaming industry, the Government alsoimplemented moderate regulation, enhanced monitoring of the growth of the gaming industry, andactively facilitated the development of integrated tourism and other associated industries. Emphasiswas put on the convention and exhibition, cultural and creative, Chinese medicine, and commercialand trade industries, to facilitate appropriate economic diversification.In 2012, the Government focused on several aspects of the medium and long-term developmentof the tourism industry, and set up internal working groups to study various proposals. An expertdelegation from the Pacific Asia Travel Association was invited to release a study report onMacao. At the First Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macao, opinions on the positioning andestablishment of Macao as a world tourism and leisure centre were collected from experts andacademic researchers from around the world.With a brand-new tourism theme, the Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) continued topromote Macao with the slogan “Touching Moments, Experience Macau”, and cooperated withMGTO representatives in overseas markets to carry out promotional activities on social networks,blogs and websites. An audio guide service was also launched to encourage tourists to visit Macao’sattractions independently. Through inter-departmental cooperation and collaboration with relevantorganisations, new tourism products were developed focusing on culture, study, religions, festivalsand ecology.The development of budget hotels has drawn the attention of society and the public. The MGTOtook the initiative to cooperate with tourism-related organisations to launch a dedicated websitefor budget hotels which also serves as a platform for room reservation. To ensure the qualityof our tourism products and protect the rights of tourists, the MGTO conducted inspections onestablishments, industries and tourist spots under its supervision. It also continued to work withinter-departmental action groups to crack down on illegal accommodation.The Government actively promoted regional cooperation in tourism by participating in theformulation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tourism Cooperation Plan, and regularlymeeting representatives of other provinces and cities. As the Framework Agreement on Cooperationbetween Guangdong and Macao continued to be intensified and implemented, Macao strengthenedits cooperation with Guangdong by co-organising major publicity programmes such as the MacaoWeek in Guangdong. Furthermore, the tourism authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macaoalso actively promoted multi-destination itineraries, co-organised tourism promotion activities inoverseas markets, and participated jointly in local travel exhibitions.On heritage conservation, cultural and creative industries, and the development of culturaltourism, the Government successfully completed the legislative process of the Cultural HeritageProtection Law, bringing success in the protection and continuation of intangible cultural heritage.Moreover, the Government made great efforts in the development of local cultural and creativeindustries by establishing the Cultural and Creative Industry Fund, and actively promoting theinnovation and continuity of Macao’s culture.59